Mary Eileen Paradis has more than 40 years of experience in law enforcement, public safety, higher education, and emergency management. She most recently served as Chief of Police and Executive Director of Public Safety for the University of Mississippi Medical Center Police Department, overseeing law enforcement, behavioral threat assessment, emergency management, and compliance functions.  She joined 21CP Solutions in 2025.

In my professional life I have witnessed firsthand the persistent and alarming gaps in hospital and healthcare center security. The safety of both patients and healthcare professionals is under constant threat, and the urgency to address these vulnerabilities has never been greater. Every day, resolute staff and vulnerable individuals walk into facilities that should be sanctuaries of healing, yet too often they face risks that extend far beyond illness or injury.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than employees in other industries.

Current State: Security Gaps in Healthcare Settings

Many hospitals and healthcare centers lack the security infrastructure necessary to protect their occupants. Entrances and exits are rarely supervised, visitor screening is inconsistent, security personnel are insufficient in numbers, and staff members often manage aggressive situations without adequate support or training.   These lapses create opportunities for serious acts of violence, putting lives in jeopardy and undermining the mission of care.

Recent Case Reference: New York Nurses Union Strike

A December 24, 2025, article in the Staten Island Advance underscores the dire conditions healthcare professionals face, when they reported that the New York State Nurses Association authorized strikes at twelve regional hospitals.  While much of the public discussion of labor strikes centers on staffing and compensation, safety concerns are at the heart of many healthcare worker actions. A member of the union’s negotiating executive committee told the news outlet that the nurses’ main concern at her hospital was the lack of security, “which she said can often leave her and her colleagues at risk of becoming victims of violence.”[1] Nurses and other staff are demanding not only fair treatment but a secure environment in which to do their jobs without fear of violence.

Regulatory Update: Joint Commission Reporting Requirement

In January 2022, the Joint Commission, the non-profit organization that accredits and certifies thousands of healthcare organizations and programs in the U.S., issued standards to provide a framework to guide hospitals and other healthcare facilities in developing workplace violence prevention systems, including leadership oversight, policies and procedures, reporting systems, data collection and analysis, post-incident strategies, training, and education to decrease workplace violence. This regulatory change represented a critical step forward in acknowledging the reality of violence in healthcare settings. By requiring transparent reporting, the Joint Commission is pushing institutions to confront their weaknesses and implement effective solutions.

While this has had the impact of improving transparency and security planning for accredited healthcare facilities, there is still more to be done.  And the Joint Commission recognized this, further elevating workplace violence to a "National Performance Goal," in 2026 ensuring it remains a central focus for hospital leadership.

Impact: Real-World Consequences

The consequences of inadequate security are devastating. Patients seeking care can become victims, and healthcare professionals—who are essential to our communities—have lost their lives in environments that should protect them. On Christmas Day 2025, a hospital security officer was fatally beaten by a patient attempting to flee a medical hold in Minnesota.[2] Earlier in the year the husband of a patient, upset about his wife's care, shot and killed a police officer and wounded several others in Pennsylvania.[3] These fatalities create shocking headlines, but the pervasiveness of the problem should give us all pause; a 2024 nationwide survey conducted by National Nurses United found that 81.6% of nurses had experienced at least one type of workplace violence incident.[4]

[1] Paul Liotta, "N.Y. Nurses Union Authorizes Strikes at 12 Hospitals Including One on Staten Island," Staten Island Advance, December 24, 2025, https://www.silive.com/news/2025/12/ny-nurses-union-authorizes-strikes-at-12-hospitals-including-one-on-staten-island.html

[2] "Minn. Hospital Security Officer Killed in Attack by Patient Escaping Medical Hold," EMS1, accessed January 4, 2026, https://www.ems1.com/fatal-incidents/minn-hospital-security-officer-killed-in-atack-by-patient-escaping-medical-hold

[3] "Pennsylvania UPMC Memorial Hospital Active Shooter," CNN, February 22, 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/22/us/pennsylvania-upmc-memorial-hospital-active-shooter

[4] National Nurses United, High and Rising Rates of Workplace Violence and Employer Failure to Implement Effective Prevention Strategies Is Contributing to the Staffing Crisis, February 2024, https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/sites/default/files/nnu/documents/0224_Workplace_Violence_Report.pdf

Call to Action: Recommendations for Improving Security

Hospitals and healthcare leaders must prioritize security upgrades, including controlled access points, robust visitor management systems, comprehensive staff training in de-escalation, and enhanced partnerships with law enforcement. Furthermore, compliance with reporting requirements should be seen not as a burden but as an opportunity to learn, improve, and save lives. It is imperative that administrators, policymakers, and healthcare professionals work together to make safety a non-negotiable standard in every facility.

Our hospitals must become places of healing and hope, not sites of fear and tragedy. The time to act is now.

21CP Solutions Can Help

Healthcare workplace violence is preventable.  It requires expertise, data-driven strategies, and a commitment to proactive security. 21CP partners with healthcare facilities to conduct comprehensive security assessments, develop evidence-based violence prevention programs, train staff in de-escalation and threat recognition, and build sustainable safety cultures that protect patients, visitors, and staff.

Don't wait for the next incident. Contact us at info@21cpsolutions.com to learn how 21CP can help your organization create a safer environment for healing.